Jacques Futrelle

“ Clarke to a pulp. After which they would sit down calmly and discuss two or three matters of moment to both of them. He had come all the way to Paris to do this, and this he would do! It had never occurred to him that Clarke might be hopelessly lost in the labyrinthine wildernesses of the city, or that he might not be in Paris. He would find him, because it was meet and proper that he should find him, and Mr. Smith was blessed with a firm belief in the eternal justice of things. ”

“ Smith put the hotel on his blacklist, to be probed later on by an interpreter.
AT the Hotel Continental there came a pleasant break in the weary monotony of his search. He put the usual questions to the clerk. Yes, he spoke English, and he spoke it with an intonation that made Mr. Smith’s heart go out to him. No, Mr. W. Mandeville Clarke was not there; he had not been there; they didn't expect him. There was no full bearded, white haired American or Englishman stopping in the hotel, no one about Mr. Smith’s size. Mr. Smith was turning away. ”

“ Smith as curious, nothing more, and a minute later, in thoughts of more importance, he had forgotten it.
Then began for him a systematic, wearying round. He didn't know, and it probably wouldn't have disturbed him if he had known, that M. Remi was trailing him tirelessly, accurately, into and out of every hotel he entered. His questions at each place took the same form: “Do you speak English?” In the event of an answer in the affirmative, the conversation prospered, and there came other questions: “Is W. Mandeville Clarke stopping here? Has he been here? Do you expect him? ”